Jimmy Hart Talks Memphis Heat Documentary, Memphis History

The Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart joined Jack E. Jones & OneInchBiceps to talk about Memphis Heat, the documentary about professional wrestling in the Memphis territory.

www.memphis-heat.com

After watching the documentary, Jimmy Hart was amazed that he had forgotten so many tremendous feuds and angles that he was a part of with Jerry Lawler, Jackie Fargo, and others in Memphis, and the documentary was a trip down memory lane for him. Jimmy said he will be attending Rocktoberfest in Batesville, Arkansas, where they will be showing Memphis Heat, The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin’, and many people told him they were excited to get to see the documentary when they attend the rock and wrestling show.

Sputnik Monroe was brought up, and Jimmy Hart tells a story about giving him a ride to a show, and this was Jimmy’s first taste of pro-wrestling. He was not smartened up to the business at that time as he was still in school, and he was shocked at how the fans reacted toward him. He was even more surprised at what happened to his car after the show.

Jimmy reminisces about starting out in Memphis and managing Jerry Lawler. When asked about being a manager and being booed by the fans he talked about how his music career was the complete opposite from his wrestling career. He told a story of when Jerry Lawler broke his leg and Jerry Jarrett told him he was going to turn him into a heel and that he would have to become the number one bad guy in the territory. He went on TV and voiced a line about what one does to a horse when it breaks its’ leg. He was going to crown Jimmy Valiant or Paul Ellering the next King of Memphis, which led to a great feud between that group and another led by Superstar Bill Dundee. Jack asked if Jimmy was ever afraid after he turned heel. Hart said his house was toilet papered and his kid, Jimmy Hart Jr. got teased at school. Still, he loved it and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Jimmy puts over Greg Price of the NWA Fanfest and then talked about The Glamour Girls vs. The Jumping Bomb Angels feud. He told how the Glamour Girls got together and put the women wrestlers over as great performers.

Incher had a question: Was Jimmy ever scared about getting in the ring with anyone? He didn’t have any problems with his peers as they all protected him, and took care of him. He did have problems with fans in some of the smaller towns. He told a story about why he carried a jar of peanut butter in his bag everywhere he went.

Did Jimmy ever get singed with a fireball? Jimmy said he certainly did. He managed The Iron Sheik in Memphis one time versus Lawler and had an accident where he burned his eyebrows.

Was Lawler upset at Jimmy Hart for leaving Memphis for the WWF? Jimmy told a great story about the circumstances that happened surrounding his departure from Memphis, mentioning Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler, his idea to get suspended and end his run, dumping powder on Lance Russell’s head, and a match with Eddie Gilbert that never happened.

Jack asks Jimmy why is it that everyone says he is the nicest guy in pro-wrestling, that no one has anything bad to say about him. Jimmy professes his love for pro-wrestling. He talked about all the people he has managed over the years, in Memphis and in the WWE/WWF. His mentality is that he was blessed to get to work in Memphis and up north, and that he would never have gotten to where he is today if it hadn’t been for Memphis wrestling.

When asked about his spray-painted jackets, Jimmy talks about his music career and some great advice that Dick Clark gave him when he first started out. Always stand out from the crowd. Jimmy has his own words of advice for the IYH fans and pro-wrestling fans everywhere. Never trust a midget.